Search Results (563)

Digital technologies have become an essential part of modern workplaces, improving communication, efficiency, and organisational processes. However, excessive and uncontrolled use of digital technologies may negatively affect employees’ well-being and workplace productivity. This narrative literature review examines the relationship between digital addiction and workplace productivity by focusing on the individual, social, and organisational consequences of problematic digital technology use. The study first defines the concepts of digital addiction and workplace productivity to establish a conceptual framework. It then discusses how problematic digital technology use, including excessive internet use, social media use, smartphone use, screen use, gaming disorder, and online gambling, may influence productivity through distraction, reduced concentration, poor time management, stress, health problems, and impaired work–life balance. The review highlights that digital technologies are not inherently harmful; rather, productivity problems arise from uncontrolled and problematic patterns of use. The study concludes by suggesting organisational and individual-level interventions, including digital awareness training, responsible technology use policies, improved time management practices, and supportive workplace environments to reduce the negative effects of digital addiction. Full article

Background: This scoping review maps and synthesizes the scientific evidence on the epidemiological profile and determinants of sick leave and work-related accidents in Brazil, with an emphasis on studies using data from the Brazilian Federal Medical Expert Service of the Ministry of Social Security. Methods: Following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines and the JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis, eight databases (SciELO, PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, LILACS, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Embase) were searched for quantitative observational studies published between 2000 and 2025. Out of the 218 studies identified, 18 met the eligibility criteria. Results: Cross-sectional designs (66.7%) and ecological/time-series designs (22.2%) predominated. The findings identified musculoskeletal disorders as the leading cause of work absence; mental disorders were the third leading cause, exhibiting an upward trend; and a significant influence of institutional factors, especially the Social Security Technical Epidemiological Nexus, on the observed patterns. Determinants operate at the individual, occupational/organizational, and institutional levels. Conclusions: Empirical research on work disability in Brazil remains fragmented, providing limited capacity for causal inference. The findings support five priority areas: sectoral risk management, workplace mental health, territorial strategies for musculoskeletal disorders, sick leave trajectory policies, and data governance, all of which necessitate longitudinal and quasi-experimental studies to evaluate interventions and the impact of institutional changes. Full article

Long-term sickness absence is a growing public health issue, reducing workforce participation and widening health inequalities. Effective interventions must address both health and workplace factors to enable not only return-to-work but sustained employment. This study evaluated the feasibility of a multi-level workplace intervention to support sustainable RTW in large organizations. A two-arm cluster randomised feasibility trial was conducted in nine UK organizations (≥600 employees). Participants included senior leaders and HR professionals (n = 91), workers on long-term sick leave (n = 112), and line managers (n = 83). The IGLOo intervention combined e-learning for leaders/HR with structured toolkits for workers and managers to support RTW before and after return. Feasibility outcomes included recruitment, retention, engagement, acceptability, and usability. Secondary outcomes included RTW timing, sustained participation, mental health, and workplace factors. A mixed methods process evaluation explored implementation and context. Retention, acceptability, and usability met targets, but recruitment and engagement were lower than expected. Potential mechanisms included improved confidence, communication, and self-management. Organizational systems and pressures affected delivery. Exploratory analyses suggested different patterns of return-to-work trajectories across trial arms. Overall, the intervention was acceptable to participants who engaged with it, but recruitment barriers and organizational constraints require substantial modification before any future efficacy trial. Full article

Alcohol consumption is associated with significant social and economic challenges for nations worldwide, including alcohol-related healthcare costs and alcohol-related crime. According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC), even moderate drinking correlates with greater health risks compared with not drinking at all. These health risks include physical harm to a person’s heart, brain, liver, and other organs; impaired social functioning; reduced work performance; and increased incidence of alcohol-related violence and injury (e.g., physical and sexual assault and drunk driving-related injuries and death). Although personal health and social problems are correlated with alcohol consumption across genders, women experience disproportionately worse problems associated with alcohol-related crime and family disruption. At the societal level, alcohol use coincides with substantial negative economic problems, including increased healthcare costs, often covered by the government; reduced worker productivity; and higher criminal justice system costs. This paper applies an econometric analysis to evaluate the association between alcohol consumption and key social and economic factors and suggests actions that business firms, government entities, universities, and other organizations can take to reduce alcohol-related harm, such as encouraging sobriety in the workplace, offering alcohol-related counseling services, and not establishing associations with nor accepting payments of any kind from alcohol beverage companies. The findings have implications for business managers, government leaders, policy-makers, and others. Full article

Despite being classified as low-risk workplaces, museums involve tasks that generate demands, chemical exposure, and management-related stress that accumulate over time. This study assesses the relationship between occupational safety and health conditions in museums and task organization within operations to develop a task-based coordination approach grounded in practice. A mixed-methods design was employed in three museums, encompassing conservation, public interaction, and administrative activities. Data included 30 task observations in each museum, collected through on-site observations, posture assessment, checklist evaluation of chemical handling and ventilation practices, task-focused exchanges, and observation of leadership engagement during activities. Task configurations, defined as the combination of technical and organizational conditions under which a task is performed during routine activities, were compared through task scenarios developed as analytical models using a composite task-level safety index. Results suggested that exposure patterns varied with the technical and organizational conditions of task execution. Task configurations combining adjustable equipment, functional ventilation, coordinated task allocation, and regular leadership presence had lower frequencies of ergonomic, chemical, and organizational non-compliance. The findings indicate that occupational safety and health practice in museums depends on how technical and organizational measures operate at the task level. Full article

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) represent a growing challenge for developing countries, as they are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality within the working-age population. Beyond their effects on health outcomes, NCDs are associated with reductions in labor productivity, which may influence long-term development dynamics through human capital. This study estimates the conditional labor productivity penalty associated with Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) among employed workers in Mexico using an observational high-dimensional framework. By addressing high-dimensional confounding under the Conditional Independence Assumption (CIA), the analysis isolates the relationship between NCD status and hourly labor earnings. Using microdata from the Mexican National Survey of Household Income and Expenditure, labor productivity is defined as the ratio of labor income to hours worked. To obtain robust causal estimates, a Double Machine Learning (DML) framework is implemented, integrating regularized regression and machine learning algorithms to control for high-dimensional confounding factors. These covariates include socioeconomic, demographic, and health-related variables, allowing for flexible adjustment of observable heterogeneity across individuals. The empirical findings demonstrate a statistically significant conditional negative penalty of −11.44% (p = 1.03 × 10⁻¹¹, 95% CI: [−14.59, −8.40]) on hourly labor earnings under the cross-fitted DML specification using XGBoost and Random Forest. To resolve an observational measurement artifact where chronic individuals report artificially inflated hourly wages due to severe hours contraction, a presenteeism adjustment factor ($\theta *=0.8125$) was calibrated. Incorporating this presenteeism correction, the aggregate national economic burden among the employed population is estimated at approximately 496.82 billion pesos annually. The findings suggest that NCDs constitute a relevant constraint on labor productivity at the microeconomic level. The study highlights the importance of prevention-oriented health strategies, workplace health promotion, and early disease management. From a methodological perspective, the results illustrate the usefulness of Double Machine Learning for purging high-dimensional confounding in cross-sectional survey data, providing robust conditional empirical benchmarks for public health policy. Full article

The cumulative occurrence of workplace violence in nursing represents a growing challenge to workers’ health and the quality of care. This study aimed to analyze the prevalence, characteristics, and repercussions of workplace violence among nursing professionals in a tertiary university hospital. A cross-sectional, exploratory, and descriptive study was conducted with 573 nursing professionals using an electronic questionnaire for data collection. Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed using Pearson’s chi-square test with Bonferroni correction. Overall, 71.2% of participants reported ever experiencing workplace violence while working at the hospital, according to the questionnaire. Among those exposed, workplace bullying/intimidation (76.5%), verbal violence (49.8%), and psychological violence (43.9%) were the most frequently reported forms of violence. Physical violence (8.1%), sexual violence (5.6%), racial discrimination (9.1%), gender discrimination (6.4%), ageism (7.8%), and ableism (2.0%) were reported less frequently. Managers/supervisors (37.3%), patients’ family members or companions (29.4%), and coworkers (28.4%) were identified as the main perpetrators. Participants who experienced workplace violence reported adverse occupational and health-related outcomes, including medication use, psychological treatment, work absences, intention to resign (50.2%), and intention to leave the profession (42.6%). Underreporting was substantial, with only 33.7% of incidents being formally reported. Workplace violence was highly prevalent among nursing workers and was accompanied by self-reported adverse consequences for health, well-being, and professional performance. These findings underscore the need for effective institutional strategies aimed at preventing, monitoring, and addressing workplace violence in hospital settings. Full article

Background: Workplace wellbeing has become a key focus of occupational and public health, with increasing attention to mental health, psychosocial risks, fatigue, and work–life balance. However, limited evidence compares employee and employer perspectives, distinguishes support availability from support use, or examines whether wellbeing is more closely associated with isolated interventions or the broader support environment. Method: Cross-sectional survey data were collected from public-sector employees (N = 1307) and employers (N = 321) in Ontario, Canada. Analyses compared employee and employer ratings of workplace wellbeing dimensions and supports, examined support availability and use, and assessed associations between support use and perceived workplace impact on personal wellbeing using linear regression models. Results: Employees consistently rated workplace wellbeing dimensions and supports as more important and more effective than employers. Several supports were widely available, but availability varied across sectors and did not consistently translate into use, particularly for mental health, psychological health and safety, and fatigue-related supports. Among employees using at least one support, the cumulative number of supports used was positively associated with wellbeing (B = 0.196, p < 0.01), whereas few individual supports demonstrated independent associations. Fatigue management programs showed a consistent positive association across model specifications. Conclusions: Findings suggest that workplace wellbeing is associated with the broader support environment, not only with individual programs. Employee-informed, integrated approaches that improve both access and uptake may strengthen workplace wellbeing; however, causal interpretation is limited by the cross-sectional design. Full article

People with substance use disorders (SUDs) smoke at elevated rates compared to the general population, experience significant health disparities, and are overrepresented in rural and medically underserved areas with limited substance use treatment centers (SUTCs), leading individuals to seek care at medical healthcare centers (MHCs) (i.e., organizations providing comprehensive primary and preventive care). Thus, understanding MHCs’ and SUTCs’ capacity for adoption of tobacco-free workplace programs (TFWPs) that involve tobacco-free workplace policies and tobacco use treatment delivery is vital. Centers were continuously enrolled from August 2021 to January 2024, spanning the official duration and ending of the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of a mixed methods study, healthcare providers (N = 347) from 9 MHCs (n = 173) and 10 SUTCs (n = 174) in Texas were surveyed; 85 providers and clinical managers from a subset of this sample, drawn from 5 MHCs and 7 SUTCs, completed interviews about their perception of resource availability for, and value of, TFWPs. The organizational readiness for change theory guided the development of investigator-generated surveys and interviews focused on assessing the constructs of resource availability for and valuing of TFWPs. Quantitative findings generally revealed similar perceptions on value and resource availability. However, more MHC than SUTC providers endorsed lack of time as a barrier to delivering cessation care (p = 0.006). Qualitative themes included lack of training and resources to build capacity; limited institutional frameworks, policies, and practices; underprioritizing of tobacco cessation treatment; and erroneous assumptions that tobacco use sustains SUD sobriety. Results emphasize that MHCs need shorter intervention strategies, while SUTCs may be poised for longer interventions as supported through greater endorsement by MHC compared to SUTC providers of time as a barrier to deliver cessation care alongside similar perceptions on value and resource availability across both settings (MHCs, SUTCs). Overall, findings reinforce the need to build greater capacity across healthcare settings for patients’ tobacco use treatment. Full article

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide an integrative review of Positive Psychology in contemporary organizational contexts, examining how psychological resources such as Psychological Capital, Emotional Intelligence, Mindfulness, Psychological Safety, Self-Determination Theory, and Positive Leadership contribute to employee well-being, flourishing, and organizational effectiveness. Design/Methodology/Approach: This study adopts a narrative integrative literature review approach, synthesizing recent theoretical and empirical research in Positive Organizational Psychology, Organizational Behavior, and Human Resource Management. The review integrates foundational theories with contemporary empirical findings published in high-impact academic journals to develop a comprehensive conceptual framework. Findings: The findings indicate that Positive Psychological constructs are consistently associated with higher levels of employee engagement, job satisfaction, performance, resilience, and flourishing, while reducing burnout, stress, and turnover intentions. Psychological Capital emerges as a key malleable resource, while Mindfulness and Emotional Intelligence enhance self-regulation and interpersonal effectiveness. Originality: The paper integrates multiple streams of Positive Psychology into a unified conceptual model, combining individual-level psychological resources with motivational and organizational-contextual factors. Research limitations/implications: As a narrative review, the study does not include primary empirical data or statistical testing. Future research should empirically validate the proposed integrative framework using longitudinal and cross-cultural designs. Practical implications: Organizations can enhance employee well-being and performance by implementing Psychological Capital Interventions, mindfulness-based programs, strengths-based development, and psychologically safe leadership practices. Social implications: The findings highlight the broader societal value of fostering psychologically healthy workplaces that promote sustainable employment, mental health, and human flourishing. Full article

Background: Fasting plasma glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and oral glucose tolerance testing remain central to the diagnosis and monitoring of dysglycemia, but they mainly reflect the average glycemic exposure or discrete time-point measurements and may not capture intraday and interday glucose fluctuations. Glycemic variability (GV) has been associated with oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, and diabetes-related complications, although much of the evidence derives from experimental, clinical, and diabetes-care settings rather than occupational cohorts. Aim: This narrative review examines the physiological basis, measurement, and potential occupational relevance of GV and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in working populations. Methods: Literature was narratively selected from biomedical databases, major guidelines, consensus statements, and occupational-health sources, prioritizing reviews, clinical guidelines, cohort studies, mechanistic studies, and CGM studies. No systematic search, risk-of-bias assessment, or quantitative synthesis was performed. Main findings: CGM is an established technology in selected diabetes-care contexts and provides metrics such as coefficient of variation, time in range, time above range, and time below range. Its use in occupational medicine, however, remains investigational outside selected clinical circumstances. Work-related factors such as shift work, circadian disruption, sleep loss, psychosocial stress, irregular meal timing, sedentary behavior, and variable physical workload may influence glucose regulation, but direct evidence linking these exposures to CGM-measured GV in workers remains limited. Implications: Potential applications include research on occupational determinants of metabolic health, monitoring of workplace lifestyle interventions, and individualized management of workers with diabetes in safety-sensitive roles, provided that consent, confidentiality, clinical follow-up, equity, and data-governance safeguards are ensured. Conclusions: GV assessment may complement traditional metabolic markers in selected occupational-health contexts, but routine CGM-based surveillance of general worker populations is not currently supported by sufficient evidence. Further longitudinal and interventional studies are required. Full article

Background/Objectives: Hygiene theatre describes a diverse array of cleaning and sanitation protocols (such as the use of disinfectant sprays, or plexiglass dividers) that may provide a false sense of safety/security without actually or meaningfully reducing the risk of transmission of pathogens. Initially viewed as a humorous, but harmless, contrivance, the carbon footprint implications and climate impacts of unnecessary and unhelpful performative clinical activities is increasingly being scrutinized. This study examined primary health care providers’ perspectives on hygiene theatre and how to mitigate or reduce both its prevalence and its impact. Methods: Semi-structured interviews with 17 family physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists were conducted. Results: The findings suggest that pervasive and persistent hygiene theatrics may reflect primary care providers’ inability to critically self-reflect on routinized clinical practices due to a lack of time, the inaccessibility of clinical evidence, and a lack of workplace supports. Conclusions: Addressing hygiene theatre may benefit from direction, guidance or regulation from external groups such as employers, unions, or licensing bodies. The further education of patients (who may have come to expect these theatrics) may also be necessary to better manage their expectations. Full article

Background: Occupational health risk assessment in industrial enterprises has traditionally focused on physical, chemical, and ergonomic hazards, while psychosocial working conditions have often been assessed separately from routine occupational surveillance. The aim of this study was to examine whether integrating working conditions, the psychosocial work environment, occupational stress, and temporary disability indicators provide a more informative health risk profile in an industrial setting. Methods: An analytical observational study was conducted at a mining and processing enterprise in Kazakhstan. This study used three data sources: 5429 temporary disability records for 2020–2024, workplace assessments covering 188 job positions, and psychosocial survey data from 392 employees. Occupational stress was evaluated in annual PSS-25 screening waves conducted in 2023 (n = 133), 2024 (n = 133), and 2025 (n = 134). The author-developed psychosocial questionnaire showed acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.82). Results: During the five-year period, 4971 eligible temporary disability episodes and 61,472 lost workdays were recorded. Psychosocial profiles were less favorable in production units than in administration, and mean PSS-25 values remained relatively stable across the years. The Integral Index of Working Conditions (Iwc) was positively associated with temporary disability indicators and occupational stress, whereas the Integral Health Index (Ihr) was inversely associated with psychosocial well-being. Conclusions: The findings suggest that occupational risk assessment remains incomplete when psychosocial factors are excluded or treated separately. Integrating hygienic, psychosocial, stress-related, and medical-statistical indicators may improve the prioritization of preventive measures and support healthier workplace management in industrial enterprises. Full article

Challenging work conditions and a predominantly male workforce have intensified concerns about worker well-being in the U.S. construction industry. Although these issues are increasingly acknowledged, empirical evidence on how management perceives and addresses employees’ psychological needs remains limited. This study seeks to fill that gap by examining managerial awareness and responsiveness to workplace mental health challenges, as well as the implementation of targeted well-being interventions across construction organizations. A mixed-methods approach was employed, integrating quantitative data from a nationwide survey of construction professionals with qualitative insights from open-ended responses. Results indicate that workers experience moderate levels of psychological strain, with notable differences across demographic and occupational groups. Women, non-white professionals, and site supervisors reported higher stress and lower overall well-being, emphasizing the need for more inclusive and tailored interventions. While both senior leaders and frontline supervisors demonstrated moderate awareness of these challenges, supervisors were perceived as less consistent in taking action to address them. Among existing workplace practices, transparent compensation structures and opportunities for skill diversification were identified as the most established supports for well-being. In contrast, mentoring programs, employee recognition, and open feedback mechanisms emerged as promising yet underutilized strategies. Overall, the study contributes by shifting attention from documenting construction-related mental health stressors to understanding how leadership recognition is translated into organizational response. Therefore, the findings provide practical guidance for construction leaders seeking to strengthen workers’ well-being and build a more resilient work environment. Full article

Background/Objectives: Retention of healthcare professionals in the workforce, their employment, and the improvement of working conditions largely depend on identifying the factors that influence their departure and their health. The study was conducted during the period from January to June 2021. This study aimed to examine the association between specific work-related stressors and work ability. The initial hypothesis was that general and specific occupational stressors negatively associate with work ability among healthcare professionals in emergency medical intervention teams. Methods: The study was designed as a cross-sectional comparative study. It was conducted among nurses and physicians in pre-hospital emergency medical services, employed full-time in intervention teams, while the control group consisted of employees from dispatch and call-receiving units. The study was conducted on the 840 participants, representing 43.3% of all healthcare professionals employed in pre-hospital emergency medical services in the Republic of Croatia. In addition to questions on participants’ personal characteristics, the following instruments were used: 1. a validated Questionnaire on Workplace Stressors among hospital healthcare professionals; and 2. the international standardized Work Ability Index (WAI) questionnaire for assessing work ability. Participants completed the questionnaires in paper form. Results: On average, the participants demonstrated lower levels of stress compared to reference values, both for overall stress and for individual stress factors, while their work ability, assessed using the Work Ability Index (WAI), ranged from very good to excellent. The control group showed higher levels of stress across all factors and lower work ability. However, the control group was older on average, generally had lower levels of education, and consisted more often of women—personal characteristics that may influence the examined variables. Lower stress levels and better work ability were associated with job satisfaction, ambition, and the fact that participants were working in their desired profession. Frequent sick leave (absenteeism) was highly correlating with both higher stress levels and poorer work ability. Conclusions: Greater job satisfaction and higher motivation have a positive impact on stress levels and employees’ work ability. The study results can serve as a starting point for institutional management in designing feasible decisions aimed at improving satisfaction, health, the work environment, and the work ability of emergency medical service personnel, as well as making these institutions more attractive for recruitment and retention of employees both in their positions and within the profession. Full article